This piece was contributed by Anna Grojec in support of UNICEF and the #FightUnfair campaign.
Around the world, millions of children don’t get what they need, at the most basic level. They don’t get the health care they need to survive. They don’t get enough food to grow tall and strong. They don’t get to go to school, or if they do, they might spend years in the classroom without learning much. Some don’t get much of a chance at a childhood, but instead have to go to work, or get married, or endure violence. These kinds of deprivations wear away at children’s dreams and blight their prospects for a decent future.
It’s grossly unfair. When you look at the sheer numbers of children who, through no fault of their own, are denied a fair chance in life, you might think – what can we possibly do to change this?
Below are 10 examples of the massive deprivations children face – and 10 ways that real people around the world are working hard to #fightunfair, by helping children get what they need to survive, thrive and make the most of their potential.
1. 11 children under 5 die every minute. Projects like this one, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, provide families with medicine and advice at home as a positive step towards making sure every child has a fair chance to survive.
2. 1 in 8 people defecate in the open. As people become aware that this spreads germs and parasites that make children sick, communities like this one in Malawi are taking the lead in demanding safe and hygienic toilets.
3. An estimated 246 million children live in countries and areas affected by armed conflicts. Child-friendly spaces like this one for Syrian refugees in Turkey provide children with opportunities to heal, play and dream.
4. 1 child dies from violence every 5 minutes. Here is one project, in Sierra Leone, that uses creativity and entertainment to get people thinking about violence against children, and begin to change the beliefs and attitudes that let it go on.
5. 130 million children are in primary school but still don’t know basic reading, writing and maths. Programmes like this one in Bangladesh are making sure that teachers are well equipped to provide their students with the knowledge and skills the global economy demands.
6. Nearly half of the people living in extreme poverty are children. Social protection – like this cash transfer programme in Liberia – can help break the cycle of poverty, so that families can provide their children with food, care and education.
7. More than 700 million women alive today were married as children. These children and young people from across Africa make it clear that they see child marriage as an unacceptable violation of girls' rights – and as attitudes change, more girls will be able to avoid marriage and grow up to be educated, empowered citizens.
8. 168 million children are trapped in child labour. In Cote d’Ivoire, communities have organized Child Protection Committees to end child labour and help children get out of work and into school, so they can get the education they need to fulfil their dreams.
9. 1 in 3 adults thinks that physical punishment is necessary to properly raise or educate a child. But projects like this one in Mongolia’s schools have shown that non-violent forms of discipline help children learn, communicate and cooperate better.
10. AIDS is the #1 cause of death among adolescents in Africa. Projects like this one in Kenya provide HIV-positive adolescents with support and information, so they can keep themselves alive and healthy, protect those close to them, and feel like valued members of their communities.
You can help create a world where all children have access to quality education and health care by going to TAKE ACTION NOW. Tweet now to #FightUnfair for children who deserve better and learn more at www.unicef.org/fightunfair.